Star defenceman P.K. Subban and the Montreal Canadiens are having difficulty coming to agreement on a contract prior to their Aug. 1 arbitration hearing.

"Negotiations between the Canadiens and Subban did not go very well," Renaud Lavoie of TVA Sports said Tuesday. "Is it possible that Subban should go to arbitration? I think so.

"On the contrary, would I call this possibility happening better than 50%? No, but it is still there."

If Subban and the Habs had to go to arbitration, the consequences could be very sad.

"If Subban should go to arbitration, this is probably his last contract with the Canadiens," Lavoie said. "Afterwards, it is obvious that he will look elsewhere.

"This is a situation that would be frowned on the side of the defenceman and his agent, Don Meehan, but between supply and demand, there is currently a significant gap."

Canadiens lawyer Andre Lepage says both sides could come to an agreement just before going to the hearing Friday morning.

"I know it's a cliche, but often the doors close, everyone is ready to start, and the backrest can be adjusted in the final seconds," he said. "It's human nature: people want to know that they went through the process of negotiation and they went for the maximum."